I guess it all depends on 'what' we are referring to when we say 'rarest Toyota'. Are we talking rarest ever built? Rarest still in existence? I agree with Ben, that most of the concept cars ever built, if they even still exist, are probably some the rarest Toyotas around. Also many of the early Toyota race cars are very rare, since many were dismantled after they were retired (even the famous time-trial 2000GT is a 'reproduction').

But what about actual production vehicles? Yes, the 2000GT is rare, even from the beginning since only 300+ were ever built. My friend Luc has a wonderful website all about the 2000GT, but in French, so if you want more facts on that car I recommend getting Shin Yoshikawa's book 2000GT. But, besides the 2000GT there are a lot of early models (that even most Toyota enthusiasts don't know about), that might be considered some of the rarest Toyotas still around - from the early G-series trucks and first production car, the Model AA (of which only reproductions exist - no originals!), and other A-series sedans (Model AB and Model AC), the Model SA (Toyota's return to passenger vehicle production after the war), the Toyopet Super, Toyopet Master, Toyopet Corona ST10, Toyopet Masterline, as well as a number of other early trucks and buses. Who knows how many of any of these vehicles still exist, even in Japan? Sounds like a good job for one of our Japanese correspondents!

If you're gonna count those you'd have to count concept cars and test mules too.

Fair enough,so it's not the rarest,but it's still a great deal rarer than a Cavalier.....it was only a lame joke anyway!

. <-- My lame joke

<-- You

Ok, sorry. I need to lighten up. I get that way when I think about people cutting off the tops of perfectly good 2000GTs to mimic something from a cheesy movie.

<--- Me, now.

Ben, I would give the Bond 2000GT's the nod as one of the rarest desirable Toyota cars. Although the top chopping is not normally desireable, it is immortalized on film at time when Japanese cars received little respect. Toyota went out of their way to track it down and acquire it from the Fukunaga family in Hawaii some time ago. It is one of the cars in their museum collection that seems to get the most interest.

That one isn't a real movie car tho. It's a very faithful replica of the movie car made from a real basket case of a rusty wrecked coupe (so chopping the top off it is far preferable to seeing it fade away).

From what I understand, the only known movie car in existence is the one in the Toyota Museum.

That one isn't a real movie car tho. It's a very faithful replica of the movie car made from a real basket case of a rusty wrecked coupe (so chopping the top off it is far preferable to seeing it fade away).

From what I understand, the only known movie car in existence is the one in the Toyota Museum.

Not according to a TV programme i saw about it the other week......i guess they could've 'omitted' that piece of info though.

Ben, I would give the Bond 2000GT's the nod as one of the rarest desirable Toyota cars. Although the top chopping is not normally desireable, it is immortalized on film at time when Japanese cars received little respect. Toyota went out of their way to track it down and acquire it from the Fukunaga family in Hawaii some time ago. It is one of the cars in their museum collection that seems to get the most interest.

I hear ya, but if I was a Ferrari nut I'd probably feel the same way about Magnum PI.

Every time I read something about the 2000GT in the press they mention its movie appearance, even if it's a 2-paragraph blurb. The car has many other qualities that make it notable, and I feel that it can stand on its own as a historic car. I'd probably say something about, oh I dunno, the 16 FIA international speed records it broke. After all, articles about the Ferrari Daytona don't mention its appearance in Miami Vice as evidence of its significance. Incidentally, I think the Daytona looks much more like the 2000GT than the 2000GT does the Jaguar E-Type!

The Toyota Cavaliers are well known. A lot of the Cavi guys buy parts from them to put on their cars, especially the taillights & badging. The Toyota ones had a few extra interior bits that were slightly nicer than the Chevrolets, and power folding mirrors, that occasionally the J-body guys use.

They're "meh" cars. They're not particularly exciting or anything, but they really aren't bad cars either. Loads of them on the roads around here still.